Dataset Information

SARS-CoV-2 cross-sectional seroprevalence study among public school staff in Metro Vancouver after the first Omicron wave in British Columbia, Canada.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To determine the SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence among school workers within the Greater Vancouver area, British Columbia, Canada, after the first Omicron wave.

Design

Cross-sectional study by online questionnaire, with blood serology testing.

Setting

Three main school districts (Vancouver, Richmond and Delta) in the Vancouver metropolitan area.

Participants

Active school staff enrolled from January to April 2022, with serology testing between 27 January and 8 April 2022. Seroprevalence estimates were compared with data obtained from Canadian blood donors weighted over the same sampling period, age, sex and postal code distribution.

Primary and secondary outcomes

SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid antibody testing results adjusted for test sensitivity and specificity, and regional variation across school districts using Bayesian models.

Results

Of 1850 school staff enrolled, 65.8% (1214/1845) reported close contact with a COVID-19 case outside the household. Of those close contacts, 51.5% (625/1214) were a student and 54.9% (666/1214) were a coworker. Cumulative incidence of COVID-19 positive testing by self-reported nucleic acid or rapid antigen testing since the beginning of the pandemic was 15.8% (291/1845). In a representative sample of 1620 school staff who completed serology testing (87.6%), the adjusted seroprevalence was 26.5% (95% CrI 23.9% to 29.3%), compared with 32.4% (95% CrI 30.6% to 34.5%) among 7164 blood donors.

Conclusion

Despite frequent COVID-19 exposures reported, SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence among school staff in this setting remained no greater than the community reference group. Results are consistent with the premise that many infections were acquired outside the school setting, even with Omicron.

SUBMITTER: Watts AW

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10276956 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

SARS-CoV-2 cross-sectional seroprevalence study among public school staff in Metro Vancouver after the first Omicron wave in British Columbia, Canada.

Watts Allison W AW Mâsse Louise C LC Goldfarb David M DM Irvine Mike A MA Hutchison Sarah M SM Muttucomaroe Lauren L Poon Bethany B Barakauskas Vilte E VE O'Reilly Collette C Bosman Else E Reicherz Frederic F Coombs Daniel D Pitblado Mark M O'Brien Sheila F SF Lavoie Pascal M PM

BMJ open 20230612 6

<h4>Objective</h4>To determine the SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence among school workers within the Greater Vancouver area, British Columbia, Canada, after the first Omicron wave.<h4>Design</h4>Cross-sectional study by online questionnaire, with blood serology testing.<h4>Setting</h4>Three main school districts (Vancouver, Richmond and Delta) in the Vancouver metropolitan area.<h4>Participants</h4>Active school staff enrolled from January to April 2022, with serology testing between 27 January and 8 Ap ...[more]

PMID: 37308276

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Project description:BackgroundThe purpose of this study was to explore factors associated with COVID-19 vaccine intentions among school staff as high vaccine uptake is essential to ensure schools return to normal activities.MethodsStaff (e.g., teachers, administrators, student support workers) from three urban school districts in the Greater Vancouver Area of British Columbia, Canada completed a survey between February and June 2021 (n = 2,393) on COVID-19 vaccine intentions and perceptions (i.e., acceptance of routine vaccines, benefits and risks of vaccination, susceptibility to, and severity of COVID-19, recommendation by authority figures, information mistrust and conspiracy beliefs) as part of a COVID-19 seroprevalence study. Confirmatory factor analysis followed by multiple logistic regression models adjusting for relevant covariates were used to identify vaccine perceptions uniquely associated with (a) intention to get the COVID-19 vaccine (intention), and (b) intention to get vaccinated right away (urgency).ResultsIn total, 95.4% of participants of the seroprevalence study completed the vaccine questionnaire, corresponding to 17.7% of the target population. Vaccine intention was associated with staff who valued expert recommendations (AOR = 10.5, 95% CI = 7.39-14.90) accepted routine vaccines (AOR = 1.94, 95% CI = 1.26-2.98) and perceived higher benefits (AOR = 1.29, 95% CI = 1.01-1.65) and lower safety risks of vaccination (AOR = 0.40, 95% CI = 0.29-0.54). Comparable associations were found with vaccine urgency. Perceived susceptibility to the COVID-19 virus was uniquely associated with vaccine urgency (AOR = 1.30, 95% CI = 1.05-1.61). A significant interaction effect (p = 0.01) revealed that staff who expressed mistrust in COVID-19 information intended to get vaccinated only if they also perceived high benefits of vaccination.ConclusionsEducation about the risks and benefits of COVID-19 vaccines from a trusted source had the strongest relationship with vaccine intentions among this occupational group. Notably, those who expressed mistrust in information still intended to get vaccinated if they also perceived strong benefits of the vaccine.

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Dataset Information

SARS-CoV-2 cross-sectional seroprevalence study among public school staff in Metro Vancouver after the first Omicron wave in British Columbia, Canada.

Objective

Design

Setting

Participants

Primary and secondary outcomes

Results

Conclusion

Publications

SARS-CoV-2 cross-sectional seroprevalence study among public school staff in Metro Vancouver after the first Omicron wave in British Columbia, Canada.

Similar Datasets

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